Regional variation in Xhosa

Abstract

BackgroundThe main Nguni languages are Xhosa, Swati and Zulu.These languages have a number of distinct variants.The most easily recognisable Xhosa variants are Mpondo, Bhaca and Hlubi.While Xhosa is the mainstream indigenous language in the Cape Province (including Ciskei and Transkei), the aforementioned variants are found in restricted areas in the Eastern Cape.The Xhosa dialect that came to be written when the missionaries started printing Xhosa was the Ngqika dialect, which is quite close to its Thembu (or Gcaleka) variant.These variants appeared in print and were used in schools as standard Xhosa.The fact that the Ngqika and Thembu variants have equal prestige needs to be explained.Phalo, who lived around 1700, is said to be the main line descendant of Xhosa (who lived around 1530), the founder leader of the Xhosa people.Phalo' s own descendants are Thembu (Gcaleka) and Rharhabe (who lived around 1786).Rharhabe and his section of the Xhosa people crossed the Kei River to settle on the west side, and his descendants are the brothers Ngqika and Ndlambe (Jabavu, 1953:17-20).The first missionary to settle among the Xhosa was Theodorus van der Kemp of the London Missionary society, in 1799, and he stayed with Ngqika and his people along the Tyume River.In this way the Ngqika dialect was learnt,